By Robyn Best August 25, 2025
Zach Knight and Yura Igarashi at Nayoro Park in Lindsay. Igarashi is from Nayoro and is staying with several families during her visit here. Photo: Robyn Best.
Yura Igarashi is a student from Nayoro, Japan who is spending part of her summer in Kawartha Lakes as a participant in the Kawartha Lakes-Nayoro Student Exchange Program that dates back to 1973. The program works to foster cultural understanding between the two communities.
“I was nervous at first, but it’s a lot of fun,” she said. Her brother and sister have both visited Canada, so she knew a little bit about what to expect.
Throughout her stay, Igarashi will live with a different host family each week, giving her a unique glimpse into the different lifestyles and traditions in Kawartha Lakes. The week Kawartha Lakes Weekly spoke with her, she was staying with the Knight family from Downeyville, whom she already had a connection to.
Zach Knight, who attends I.E. Weldon, stayed with Igarashi and her family in Japan last year. “It was nice to be able to reconnect with somebody that I met while I was there,” he said.
Reflecting on his experience Knight added, “I really enjoyed the culture difference and meeting new people.”
Now, the roles have reversed and it’s his turn to show Igarashi around his community and help her explore some destinations outside of Kawartha Lakes, too. With plans to go to the Peterborough Zoo, Vaughan Mills Mall and Medieval Times, Igarashi is excited to see it all.
She had the chance to visit Niagara Falls the week previous, with another host family, where she took a boat ride to see the falls up close, which she enjoyed. “I want to try a variety of things,” Igarashi said, sometimes turning to her phone for translation assistance.
She’s looking forward to immersing herself in Canadian culture and has been adapting to everyday habits that differ from those in Nayoro – like wearing shoes indoors. She’s also noticed differences in the layout of homes that Canadians consider typical. One example is how in Canada shower and toilets are found in one room, whereas in Japan they are usually separated.
Her hope is to go back home understanding the “difference in people’s way of lifestyles.”
One of her biggest goals is to strengthen her understanding of the English language. “I want to improve, even just a little,” she said.
Christina Knight jumped at the chance to host Igarashi. “It was an opportunity to pay back and meet some of the people (Zach) met.”
For anyone who gets the chance to be a host family, Knight says to go for it because programs like these cannot run without families opening up their homes. “It’s the best thing that we’ve ever done. It’s super cool for our family and the kids to be involved and show her what it’s like to be a teenager in Ontario.”
Igarashi is looking forward to the rest of her time here, where she will remain until Sept. 7. In total, she will have spent more than a month with four local host families.
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